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Experts feared that, a second wave of swine flu pandemic may hit back soon causing a high rate of fatality and it may have deadlier consequences.
"A second wave of pandemic is likely to occur. The virus may acquire higher pathogenicity and increased case fatality," scientists at the Christian Medical College Vellore have reported this in a joint statement.
The researchers also expressed that, the strain may find easy to mutate and spread in monsoon season causing an endemic like that of Influenza. So it would be very difficult to control then. They also said that, the new strain may become resistant to the current antiviral drugs.
This has been published in the latest edition of the Indian Council for Medical Research journal.
"India must also be prepared for other eventualities," it warns.
The scientists proposed to set up Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan (PPRP) to counter such type of eventualities.
"Therefore, ad hoc and make shift plans were made and implemented in urban communities to fit the available healthcare facilities, ignoring the majority rural population," the scientists said.
The governments should also take appropriate measures like establishing public health infrastructure and allowing equity in healthcare services, the scientists said. There is also the need of screening the passengers at the airport terminals to spread the swine flu symptoms.
The experts also told that, as there is inadequacy in health infrastructure in India, so pandemic preparedness plan from the government couldn’t counter well. So such type of emergency can be effectively carried out through the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) coming under the Department of Health Services.
